TALBOT1667

Florence
April 25

Dear Henry

I enclose you an ingenious plan for draining pots you may find it useful at Lacock in seasons like the present when all the double N. Poeticus are rotting in bud without power to expand & pease all eaten by Slugs. – Your picture is packed up by Wallis ¹ himself with 2 others he has for me – the box will be adressed [sic] to you – for I have so many of various kinds to send to Ly I. ² that it will be a convenience to send one less or the hall in B. St ³ will be encumbered

I have advised her of this arrangement & she will pay the proportion of charges &c. if when it comes you repent I am ready to take the copy off your hands. I suppose your Ionian plants are now shewing flower tell me how they get on. Scilla verna & Papaver cambricum both from Penrice ⁴ are in flower in the Giardino de’ Semplici. Plant a good deal or Ornus, Vitex, Staphylea, chionanthus, æsculus, Cercis, Kœlreuteria & such like Have you found out what the African oak is? Make some stony rubbishy beds of any gravel that does not cake much make them thick & cover them with earth & you will find many things with insinuating roots do very well in them En attendant ⁵ periwinkles will cover your ground as prettily & as cheap as anything. also Hy.[?] calycinum & coloured Helianthemums I wish you had been here this winter we might have made some good picture bargains together there have been so many houses selling & now I rival the rivenditori ⁶ in my bargains & set them all by the ears, it is very good fun they are such exceeding rogues I have got [illegible]⁷ good things out of casa Pasquali Michelozzi ⁸, Guidi ⁹, & Strozzi ¹⁰ which you will see I hope some day –

Y^r Aff^te
W F S

Henry F. Talbot Esq^re
31 Sackville Street
WFS